Meetings with Congressional Offices –

Know Before You Go Checklist

After scheduling a meeting with your legislator’s office, use this checklist to prepare for the meeting and learn more about your legislator’s position on NARFE issues. Most of this information can be found via our Legislative Action Center, the state-specific “Federal Family Fact Sheet” document, or at . If you need assistance, please contact the NARFE legislative staff by emailing or by calling 703-838-7760, ext. 201.

District/State Information(refer to the state-specific Federal Family Fact Sheet document)

How many federal employees and annuitants are in the state?

Is the federal government one of the biggest employers in your district/state? What are the biggest federal agencies in your district/state? Can you talk about the work they do?

115th Congress Votes and Cosponsorships

Is your representative a cosponsor of H.R. 756, a bill to amend the U.S. Postal Service? NARFE opposes this legislation because it requires Medicare enrollment for current postal retirees and their spouses, and would break a promise to now-retired postal workers.

Did your representative or senators make statements regarding protecting federal pay and benefits?

Did your representative or senators make statements about the implementation of a hiring freeze at the beginning of 2017?

Previous Votes and Cosponsorships

What is your representative’s or senators’overall voting record with NARFE? Review their recent votes on NARFE issues in the Legislative Action Centerunder “View key legislation” to get a sense of their perception of federal employees and retirees.

How did your representative vote on H.Con.Res. 27, the fiscal year 2016 House Budget Resolution? (NARFE opposed this legislation.) How did your senators vote on S.Con.Res. 11, the fiscal year 2016 Senate Budget Resolution? (NARFE opposed this legislation.) These resolutions supported $318 billion in cuts to the federal community.

With no cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in 2016, approximately 30 percent of Medicare Part B beneficiaries were facing a 52 percent premium increase, while the remaining beneficiaries would have been “held harmless” and maintained the same premiums as in 2015. Legislation was introduced to keep everybody “held harmless” in 2016. Did your representative and/or senators cosponsor H.R. 3696or S. 2148?H.R. 3696 and S. 2148 were not voted on because a compromise regarding Medicare Part B premiums was included in a two-year budget agreement. (NARFE supported the agreement.)

Did either of your senators or your representative cosponsor S. 1651 or H.R. 973, a bill to repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)? (NARFE supported this legislation.)

Did your representative cosponsor H.R. 711, a bill to amend the WEP penalty? (NARFE supported this legislation as it was originally introduced.) If not, respectfully ask for his or her support in repealing or reforming the WEP penalty.

Did either of your senators or yourrepresentative cosponsor S. 2051 or H.R. 5714, bills to reform U.S. Postal Service operations?(NARFE opposed both pieces of legislation.)

Member of Congress Background

Doyour senators or representative sit on a committee with jurisdiction over NARFE issues? House committees include: Budget, Oversight and Government Reform, and Ways and Means. Senate committees include: Budget, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and Finance. Check their committee assignments to find common ground.

Have your senators or representativeworked in public service before being elected to Congress? Review theirbiography before going to your meetings.

Have your senators or representative made any public comments about federal employees, or public servants in general? Do an online and media search to get a sense of their overall feelings toward government employees.